City Of Steel
by darkestboy
Summary: Mickey, Jake and Pete do battle with the Cybermen in the parallel world. Set between The Age Of Steel and Army Of Ghosts.


**Name:** City Of Steel  
**Characters: **10th Doctor, Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith, Pete Tyler, Jake Simmonds, Cybermen  
**Synopsis: **In a parallel world, Mickey, Jake and Pete strive to stop the Cybermen from swelling in numbers. Things become far more complicated when they start going into the real world. Set between _The Age Of Steel_ and _Army Of Ghosts_.

It had been just a few minutes since Mickey and Jake had decided that the first place they would liberate from the Cybermen was Paris. The Doctor and Rose would be long gone from this world but Mickey had to stop the truck when Pete Tyler came out of nowhere.

"I'm coming with you," Pete announced to the two men, not taking no for an answer. Jake opened up and let him step into the truck.

"Next time, give us a bit more warning," Jake muttered. "We could've ran you over."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Mickey said under his breath.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing," Mickey quickly backed back. "I take it you want to help with the Cybermen."

"It's like the Doctor said, they're dangerous," Pete told him. "And they killed Jackie. So where are we headed?"

"Paris," Jake trilled, a little more enthusiastically than he should've.

Pete smiled as a response. Nothing else in that moment needed to be said. They all had motives for wanting to get rid of the Cybermen —vengeance played a part for Pete and Jake but a sense of purpose and doing the right thing had been Mickey's. In this world he had a chance to make something of himself, something he felt he couldn't achieve if he had remained with Rose and the Doctor.

Rose had told him that she needed him and for a second, it had tempted him to reconsider but he knew she was lying. Mickey might have been in love with her but Rose had definitely fallen out of love with him and in love with the Doctor. At first Mickey had resented the Doctor's influence on Rose but over time he had realised that even if the Doctor had never appeared in their lives, him and Rose probably would've broken up anyway.

_That being said, Jake probably isn't the worst person I could travel with either. As long as he lays off the 'idiot' jokes_.

Paris had been something of an eventful time. By the time they had arrived, the Cybermen were slowly beginning to take over the place but thanks to a few resistance groups and UNIT, Mickey, Jake and Pete were able to defeat most of the Cybermen. One of the biggest fights had seen the city in flames and with thousands dead, Mickey was sure as hell glad to get back onto British soil.

In London, Torchwood was in dire need of new help and Mickey was happy to step in and be that help. Although some of the more disapproving files on the Doctor in the archives made him a little skittish, he still reckoned some good could be done in this environment. Pete had taken a higher position role within Torchwood but that was something that didn't bother Mickey. Both him and Jake were happy to be the muscle of sorts.

One day when coming back into Torchwood, Mickey felt an eerie chill in the air. Something bad was happening and he couldn't put his finger on it.

"You ever get that sense of déjà vu?" Mickey asked.

"Not really," Jake mumbled, occupied by his phone texts. "Perhaps you need some time off."

"This place would fall apart without me," Mickey joked.

"You wish," Jake joked back. "We already know there's Cybermen on the loose. That's hardly news."

"Yeah, well this is," called Pete, ushering for them to step inside. "Take a look."

Once inside the main area of work, Pete had pulled up documents and flyers on an organisation called "AC", otherwise known as Allies Of Cybermen. Judging from the look on his face, Mickey could tell that Pete was suitably disgusted with the idea of such a group's existence.

"Nutters," Jake grimaced, then off Mickey and Pete's looks. "What?"

"It's a lot more serious than nutters," Pete pointed out. "These people genuinely believe that the Cybermen have a right to live and that Torchwood are barbarians for getting rid of them."

"This kind of thing happens all the time," Jake countered. "You're always going to get the odd fanatical group who'll sympathise with monsters. Like those people who think their perfect soul mate is a convicted axe murderer. Deluded."

"Yeah but you know as a journalist," Mickey butted in "that people can be swayed into believing something extreme quite easily. If these people end up acting out and try to help them out, we could have more than just Cybermen to worry about."

"We already do. These people are already gathering intelligence on Torchwood."

This was the voice of Gavin Singleton, a twenty five year old medic originally from Surrey but who had joined Torchwood about three weeks ago. Mickey didn't interact with him socially but saw him as a relatively harmless and nice enough guy while Jake had been curious to find out if he was gay. So far, Gavin gave no indications as to what his sexuality was but this was the first time he had actually spoken out about anything.

"I was just browsing through their website," Gavin said while motioning everyone to come near him, which they did. "They really do have it in for us."

"Torchwood are not to be trusted," Jake read out from the webpage and then found himself getting very annoyed with the more he read. "Their methods are beyond reproach. The Cybermen are victims of such barbaric acts that Torchwood have strenuously denied due to fear of public reprisals — what a load of crap. Who the hell do these people think they are?"

"What do we do now?" Gavin asked, his interest piqued.

"I think we should pay these guys a visit," Peter said. "They're meeting up in a warehouse tonight at 7.30pm. Perhaps we'll learn more."

"If we don't get lynched while we're in there," Jake drawled.

"Do you have any better suggestions?" Mickey asked.

"No."

"Well then, meeting it is. Thanks Gavin."

"Yeah, no problem," Gavin said distractedly, concentrating on some blood samples he had on his desk and then reaching for his phone in his pocket.

"You fancy him," Mickey teased, referring to Gavin.

"No, I don't," Jake protested, then relented. "Maybe a little."

Pete was half tempted to join in the gentle teasing with Mickey and Jake but his mind had been too wrapped up in work. Sometimes he envied the ties the young men had in this world. They had both become instant friends and Mickey had taken to looking after his grandmother, prioritising her above and beyond Torchwood. Pete's own parents were dead as was Jackie and he had rejected Rose. Sometimes going home to a big mansion all alone was hell so he was thankful in having to take down a potentially dangerous organisation.

With everyone out of sight, Gavin began dialling a familiar number. There was a part of him that had felt bad for what he had been instructed to do but he couldn't let Torchwood kill his brother or more specifically, what remained of him. The phone rang and a familiar voice answered. Gavin both loved and hated that voice at the same time.

"Did it work? Are they coming?"

"They're on their way," Gavin mumbled. "I kept my end of the bargain. You had better kept yours."

"Don't worry," the voice tried to reassure but failed to. "Your brother will be restored. Your work here is done. Now come back to us quickly".

With that, Gavin grabbed his bag and headed out the door. He would get to the warehouse after Mickey, Pete and Jake but he would probably have to make sure they didn't escape, not that he imagined they'd make it out of the building alive. The Cybermen were going to rule supreme and because of his loyalty to AC, he would be allowed to live and get his own living member of family back. Gavin knew he should feel bad for his actions but he focused on the positives too much.

_After all, what are a few deaths when a whole new world, devoid of death and disease is around the corner? Also, the fact that I've got a degree in engineering and robotics will ensure that I don't become one of them_.

"I don't think this a good idea. Seems too much like a trap."

Mickey voiced the concern that everyone else had been thinking along the way. Were they walking into a trap? It certainly had the hallmarks of it — mystery sympathetic group spouting anti-Torchwood rubbish, enough to generate attention and a big meeting in one of most derelict of places in London. _Yeah, this definitely feels like a trap to me_.

"One of us should stay behind," Pete reasoned. "If this is a trap, then someone needs to be able to send for backup and quick."

"I'll stay behind," Mickey offered. "I have to see my Nan anyway. Maybe I could get some information from Gavin as well."

"Good idea," Pete smiled at him.

With that Mickey took off to see his grandmother, mainly because she was the only living relative he had left in this world and also because when thinking about it, Gavin seemed to be behaving somewhat strangely with them. Mickey didn't want to think the worst of the lad but there was something about him, he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Jake and Pete had stepped into the warehouse where they found themselves to be the only other people in attendance. Suddenly they both realised that Mickey had been right and this was a trap all along.

"Mickey," Jake grunted into his comms, while Pete looked around, hoping to find a decent exit or spot another human in the place.

"I think you better put that down." The voice belonged to Gavin and he was pointing a gun at both Jake and Pete, the latter put his hands in surrender.

"I was really hoping I was wrong about you," Pete murmured. "You set this up, didn't you?"

"If it helps, I don't take any pleasure in this," Gavin said, sounding sincere enough.

"Yeah, right," Jake scoffed. "You've been playing us all this time. So where are your little Cyber friends?"

"We're more than just Cyber friends, young man."

Jake recognised that voice and so did Pete. Both of them had assumed that he had perished when Cybus Industries went to flames. Pete looked at his former boss with disgust, barely a scratch on him but he knew that getting animated wouldn't do either him or Jake any good. Instead, they had to do what they were told in order to learn more about Lumic's survival.

"Aren't you pleased to see me, Mr Tyler?" Lumic enquired condescendingly. "What's the matter young man, cat got your tongue?"

"What relevance would a cat be to you?" Jake muttered.

"Point taken," Lumic agreed.

"How did you survive?" Peter demanded to know. "Last I saw, you were in flames."

"It would take a lot more than that pesky Doctor and that urchin child to stop me."

"That's my daughter, you're talking about. I'd be very careful what you say next about her," Pete glared, baring his teeth.

"Your feelings are irrelevant," Lumic continued, knowing that he had control over everything in the warehouse. "As you can witness by my faithful soldiers of steel and command. Hold them."

Before they could react, both Pete and Mickey find themselves grabbed by two Cybermen each. Both men struggle to get free but the steel grip of the Cybermen makes it impossible. Jake notices that Gavin looks visibly uncomfortable and wonders if Gavin had been sincere earlier on when he said he took no pleasure in betraying Torchwood London.

"What's in it for you?" Jake asked, ignoring Lumic glaring at him and Pete.

"It's complicated," Gavin mumbled, further exhibiting visible discomfort when looking at both Jake and Pete.

This naturally made Jake just that extra bit uncomfortable but if he didn't ask, then no-one else was going to. After all, why would a supposedly nice and normal guy like Gavin be so eager to sell out his co-workers to an utter psychopath like Lumic? Jake needed to understand this for his own sake, if not Gavin's.

"I can help you with that one," Lumic interrupted, trying to smile but realising that he was physically unable to. "Your friend Gavin here lost a brother."

"I'm sorry," Pete mumbled.

"Don't be," Gavin snapped. "There's more."

"I promised him if he would infiltrate your little organisation and bring you all here to me, I'd save his brother," Lumic pressed on.

"Isn't he dead?" Jake asked, while still struggling to get free from the Cybermen's grip.

"Not quite," Gavin forlornly answered as he switched a light that saw a half Cybernised young man lying on the table. From the looks of it, he was forty percent augmented.

"It went botched. Lumic's little machine, instead of turning my brother into a Cybermen only half did the job," Gavin stuttered a little. "My brother's hovering between life and death, unable to be completed as a Cyberman but not good enough to retain his humanity."

"That's where you come in," Lumic glistened at them.

"You want one of us?" Jake realised.

"Just you," Gavin stared at the terrified soldier. "Closest to his age and all, even if you are a bit mouthy."

"Look," Jake struggled, trying to reason with the broken medic. "I feel for your loss but there's no way you're sticking his brain into my head."

"I don't have a choice and neither do you," Gavin bristled, pointing the gun at Jake's head, and then looking at Pete. "What about him?"

"He's mine to do as I please," Lumic said, gloatingly. "I think I'll extend his death out for a bit. Perhaps make him beg to become one of my children."

"You'll have a long wait then," Pete snarled, unable to get free.

As Pete and Jake continued to try and prise themselves out of the Cybermen's grip, Lumic looked content and Gavin had wavered a little with the gun. He desperately wanted to kill Jake to save his brother but he couldn't. Defeated, he threw the gun on the floor and turned to Lumic with a look of pity in his eyes.

"I can't do it," Gavin breathed hard. "I can't kill him. There has to be another way. There has to be. I'm not a killer."

"There is," Lumic reasoned. Then from his hands he shot several electrical bolts at the half Cybernised on the body. Gavin tried to stop him but was pushed away. Lumic fired a few more shots until the body was beyond repair. Gavin's brother was effectively dead in every way possible.

"You murderer," Gavin screamed, tears streaming from his eyes, his nostrils flaring with anger. "How could you do this to me?"

With that Gavin threw himself at Lumic, hoping to hurt him but Lumic had caught him in a choke hold and sent as much electricity through Gavin's body as he could. Gavin let out bloodcurdling screams before he slumped on the floor, also dead in every way possible.

"As for you two," Lumic turned his focus to both Jake and Pete. "I think we'll start the conversion a little earlier. I can't be bothered with all this torture. Just a pity Gavin there couldn't have delivered me Mr Smith."

"Why did you miss me?" Mickey smiled, massive ray gun in hand.

"Delete him!" Lumic ordered.

The two Cybermen holding onto Pete let him go and turned their focus to Mickey, ready to kill him with the least amount of effort. Mickey didn't give them much chance to get a single shot in when he fired first, blowing the head off one of them and shattering the knees of the other.

"I've had enough of this," Lumic snarled and ordered the other Cybermen to go for Mickey, releasing Jake, who Lumic then gripped.

"Pete, catch," Mickey yelled, throwing a gun to his team mate. Pete used the gun to smack one of the remaining Cybermen around the head, disorienting a little before killing.

"Mickey, a little help, please!" Jake muffled as Lumic kept his grip trying to use the blond man as a means of escaping. Mickey wasn't able to get a clear shot of Lumic, not with Jake as a hostage and not with one remaining Cyberman trying to corner him.

It was up to Pete to save Jake and the day on this. Positioning just carefully, he knew he'd be able to take out Lumic without hopefully injuring Jake in the process. Jake had also managed to make things that much simpler by stabbing Lumic with a blunt knife and moving out of the way. Lumic looked on confused and defeated.

"This is for Jackie Tyler," Pete smiled, his eyes cold with vengeance. Seconds later, there was nothing left of Lumic. In the moment, Mickey had also finished off the last of the Cybermen. All three of them then looked over Gavin's body.

"What should we do with him?" Jake asked.

"Bury him." Pete reasoned. "He was only trying to save his family. I get that."

"So do I," Mickey agreed.

A few weeks later, things had not gotten any better for Torchwood. The warehouse murders put them in a bad light, despite knowledge of them being the victims and people were still debating whether or not the Cybermen had the right to live or die. Sometimes even Mickey had trouble wondering if he was right to end their lives or not.

It also hadn't helped that one night while sleeping at Torchwood, on the couch no less because he had been too tired to go home (though he ensured there was a night nurse with his grandmother), he found himself stirred by familiar voices.

"Help us."

It was the Doctor and Rose, dressed in the tuxedo and maid's outfit from the last time he had seen them. Their eyes were dulled with pain, despite both of them keeping their heads down and not looking at him. Then they stared at him, their eyes filled with fear and forewarning.

"They're coming. They're coming for us all."

"Mickey!"

That last sound was from Jake who had been standing over him, a look of impatience in his eyes. Mickey roused from his sleep and managed to get up from the couch. Pete was at the computer screen, ready to show him the conclusive evidence along with two of the most trusted scientists.

"They slipped into another world," the scientists confirmed. "The Cybermen are in a parallel Earth and it's only going to get worse."

"If they're there, then that's where we need to be," Mickey reasoned and then he looked at Jake and Pete, awaiting an answer. "You with me?"

Both of them nodded in agreement. Mickey realised that if the Cybermen really were on the real Earth, then the Doctor and Rose would soon know about it. They would need the help in defeating them, especially with that creepy dream of his still ringing in his head. With a dimension cannon in his hand, Mickey would infiltrate the other Torchwood and make contact with the Doctor and Rose as soon as he could. There was no way he was going to let the Cybermen create any further damage.

- The End -


End file.
